FULTON'S TORPEDO EXPERIMENTS. 



149 



magistracy of New York and a number of citizens to Governor's Island, where were the 

 torpedoes and the machinery with which his experiments were to be made ; these, with the 

 manner in which they were to be used and were expected to operate, he explained very fully. 

 While he was lecturing- on his blank torpedoes, which were large empty copper cylinders, 

 his numerous auditors crowded round him. At length he turned to a copper case of the 

 same description, which was placed under the gateway of the fort, and to which was attached 

 a clockwork lock. This, by drawing out a p g, he set in motion, and then said to his 



LIEUT. GUSHING S ATTACK OX TliE " ALBKMAULii. 



attentive audience, ' Gentlemen, this is a charged torpedo, with which, precisely in its 

 present state, I mean to blow up a vessel ; it contains one hundred and seventy pounds of 

 gunpowder, and if I were to suffer the clockwork to run fifteen minutes, I have no doubt 

 but that it would blow this fortification to atoms ! ' The circle round Mr. Fulton was very 

 soon much enlarged, and before five of the fifteen minutes were out there were but two or 

 three persons remaining under the gateway; some, indeed, lost no time in getting at the 

 greatest possible distance from the torpedo with their best speed, and did not again appear 

 on the ground till they were assured it was lodged in the magazine/'' Fulton, of course, 

 displayed the utmost coolness, knowing that his torpedo could not explode till the clock- 

 work had run its allotted time, and of course taking care that it should be stopped long 

 before the expiration of the fifteen minutes. 



On the 20th of July, 1807, he attempted to blow up with torpedoes, in the harbour of 

 New York, a large hulk brig which had been provided for the purpose. Several unsuccessful 



